The present invention pertains to a workable for a sewing machine unit and more particularly, for units having sewing machines with a free arm type base in which said worktable is selectively located in a fixed and predetermined position relative to said base.
Worktables are commonly utilized with those machines which are adapted to accommodate tubular seaming, i.e., seams which require the article to be stitched to extend around the base of the machine. These worktables serve to support the articles to be sewn in the most desirable position relative to the base of the machine, in order to grip and facilitate manual manipulation of the articles before and after sewing, without greatly hindering the operator.
For this reason, the worktables are usually located in a fixed position lower than the base of the machine in the most convenient location spaced from said base so as not to interfere with the operator's movements.
Each worktable has a supporting bench, the height of which can be manually adjusted so as to locate said worktable at the appropriate distance from the base of the machine while taking into consideration and allowing for the thickness of the articles to be sewn and the minimum free space required for the sewing operations.
The space between the worktable and the bases increases, however, as the articles are consecutively sewn and consequently the distance between the operator and the article which she has to manipulate for each sewing operation also increases. If the repetitive nature of this condition is considered, it is obvious that it creates an annoyance and discomfort for the operator through a progressive change in the manner of manually manipulating the articles or workpieces and has a very definite effect on the working efficiency of said operator.
As is well known, the worksurfaces for sewing machines with free arm type bases are relatively narrow due to the configuration of the bases which are generally cylindrical. Such worksurfaces possess certain disadvantages for they are not adapted to adequately perform sewing operations on flat workpieces in which a large portion of the area of such workpieces are required to be supported during actual sewing. With sewing machines of the planar base type, it is common practice to increase the area of the worksurface by attaching an auxiliary surface in operative association with the base by means of conventional clamps. However, to increase the worksurface area of sewing machines with free arm type bases involves considerably more time and effort for they require specifically shaped elements and special attaching elements for mounting them in operative association with the base.
An object of the present invention is to provide a worktable for sewing machines having free arm type bases which can be utilized to satisfactorily accommodate flat workpieces that need to be supported over a large portion of their area during seaming and in particular, to a worktable for such machines that will facilitate the manual operations associated with tubular sewing.